We all took the first several hours to try and meet everyone that was there... an impossible task. Personally, I think I got to speak with maybe half the folks in attendance the whole night.  Dinner was delicious! Catered by Carmine's Restaurant on Transit near Sheridan. (If you're looking for a great Italian place to eat, that's the place to go). Some of us chose to eat under "the big top", and others around the yard. (One curious thing was our decorating committee. They did not want picnic tables spread out away from the tent, yet at dinner they all migrated to the picnic tables... hmmmm.)

After dinner and some more talking, out came the birthday cake! Fantastic! We could not fit all the necessary candles on the cake without a fire permit, so we made due with a dozen or so. We sang an off tune rendition of 'Happy Birthday' and patted each other on the back for surviving this many years, and then we inhaled the cake.

Tradition at these events is for folks to linger well into the night, reluctant, I think, to say goodby to friends thay may not see for a long time again.  Regardless, we managed to usher the last of the partiers out just after 1:30 Sunday morning. They left only after everyone promised to meet for breakfast at Perkins in about eight and a half hours.  We made it... I had blueberry pancakes.

Conclusion?  We need to stay in touch.  At each event we have new faces, so I know the reach of this loose association is growing. And everyone always seems to leave with a smile and new friends. So be sure to mark the Summer of 2015 on you calendars... and maybe some dates in between.